A construction worker in Queens, New York was working hard to renovate Kew Gardens for contractors when a sudden mudslide in his trench left him buried under hundreds of pounds of mud and dirt. The construction worker was in the trench when the sudden slide happened, and the Fire Department arrived at the scene shortly afterwards to dig him out.
The victim was trapped in the trench with mud burying him up to his chest. Immediately, the victim was given IV fluids and pan medication s for a condition that is commonly known as "crush syndrome." This is a build-up of chemicals in the muscles of the victim which can reach the heart within hours of the initial crush. It can lead to what is known as "smiling death." In a "smiling death" the chemicals reach the heart and the victim normally dies peacefully as the hard ceases to operate because of the chemicals.
In order to rescue this worker, the Fire Department brought in a "vactor" truck which is equipped with powerful vacuums. These vacuums sucked the mud out of the trench which other workers worked to move a backhoe that could have fallen on the victim. When the man was pulled out of the trench he was not aware of the severity of his injuries and seemed dazed and confused. These types of landslide injuries are not rare in construction.
When workers have to dig large pits and trenches, and fail to secure the sides with some sort of framing, it can result in landslides like this one. If you want more information about landslides and construction accidents or if you are a victim of an accident of this nature and want to seek compensation, then talk to a Nassau County personal injury attorney at our firm today!